Cyberattack on Argentine Airport Police Exposes Sensitive Data

January 10, 2025

In a shocking revelation, the Argentine Airport Security Police (PSA) suffered a cyberattack that compromised the personal and financial information of its officers and civilian personnel. The breach was facilitated through a vulnerability in Banco Nación’s systems, which the hackers exploited to access the PSA payroll system. Once inside, they siphoned small amounts of money from employee salaries by creating false deductions listed as “DD mayor” and “DD seguros.” These deductions ranged from 2,000 to 5,000 pesos, roughly equivalent to $100 to $245. The total amount of funds stolen remains unclear, as does the identity or motivations of the attackers—who may be international or internal actors.

Immediate Response and Measures

Following the breach, the PSA took immediate actions to mitigate the damage by halting certain services and implementing a cybersecurity awareness campaign. This campaign aims to educate personnel on the importance of cybersecurity and how to spot potential threats. Despite these measures, both the PSA and Banco Nación have remained silent about the incident, opting not to publicly acknowledge the breach. The lack of transparency has added to the uncertainty surrounding the extent of the damage and the total amount of funds stolen. The motivations behind the attack, whether financial or political, remain speculative at this point.

This incident is part of a worrying trend of cyberattacks targeting crucial infrastructure in Argentina. Notably, a similar cyberattack occurred in December when hackers breached two e-government platforms, Mi Argentina and SUBE, exposing personal information of millions. Earlier in the year, Telecom Argentina faced a ransomware attack affecting over 18,000 workstations, and in April, hackers accessed a database at the Central Bank of Argentina, compromising customer data. These instances underscore the country’s growing vulnerability to cyber threats, highlighting an urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures among critical infrastructures.

Widespread Implications and Needed Measures

Cybersecurity experts warn that this breach could have far-reaching implications, as the attackers could potentially misuse the stolen personal information for identity theft or further financial crimes. This incident highlights the urgent need for improved cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive information and financial transactions in public institutions and banks.

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